Richmond Garden & Forest School Nursery
Welcome to our Richmond Garden Nursery (under 2’s) and Forest School Nursery (over 2’s). We are located at the Richmond & Putney Unitarian Church, where children aged 6 months to ~2 years spend the day in our garden nursery, and children aged 2 - 5 years hop on our nursery minibus to spend the day at our Forest School at Outdoor Owls Cobham. Both settings offer your child will have an owlsome daily adventure outdoors, covering an ambitious curriculum delivered by amazing educators!
Ages: 6 months - 5 years
Opening Hours: Richmond Garden Nursery (Monday - Thursday, 8am - 5:45pm) and Richmond Forest School (Monday - Friday, 8am - 5:45pm)
51 weeks a year (Closed for Christmas, bank holidays and INSET days)
Garden Nursery (under 2’s) Drop off times: any Pick up times: any
Forest School Nursery (over 2’s) Drop off times: 8 - 8:20am Pick up times: 5:20 - 5:45pm
30hrs Funding Available. Fees reviewed annually in April.
Call us:+44(0)20 4537 8901 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm)
Meet our Manager, Ellen
Garden Nursery
(under 2’s)
Currently in renovation ahead of our opening in September, we will have a beautiful outdoor garden nursery for children aged 6months - 2 years. Children will have a garden space for all types of sensory play and outdoor learning ahead of them becoming 2 years and then heading to our Forest School Nursery in Cobham. Our garden will feature specifically age-designed areas, including a covered decking area with pergola, bespoke outdoor sleeping space, soft climbing development area, mud kitchen and art canvas frame, camp circle along with indoor care space.
Forest School Nursery (over 2’s)
From our Richmond location, children aged ~2 years to 5 years will spend the day at our Cobham forest school nursery, where we have our dedicated camp for Richmond children. Our beautiful nature camp has a yurt (with wood-burning stove), mud kitchen, arts & crafts area, forest school equipment, campfire circle, obstacle course area, reading and role-play areas. This provides a rich, multi-sensory environment for children to learn via play, first-hand experiences, and through seeing, touching, hearing, and smelling. Our forest camp is the perfect location for early years children to immerse themselves in the outdoors, surrounded by beautiful woodland and landscapes!
Meet Our Team
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Ellen
South West London Nursery Manager
Ellen is lvl 3 qualified with 8 years experience in Early Years managing a nursery and after-school club. She is passionate about creating fun, supportive spaces where children thrive outdoors.
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Natalie
Garden Nursery Camp Lead
(6 months to ~2 years)Natalie has experience in baby and toddler rooms, she creates engaging, meaningful experiences that help children grow in confidence and curiosity. She is committed to creating a warm, safe environment for children to thrive.
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![A woman with dark brown hair smiling outdoors in a wooded area, wearing a navy blue hoodie with an 'outdoor owl' logo.]()
Kerry
Tawny Camp Lead
(2 years)Kerry is a Level 3 qualified BTEC Forest School leader and has worked in childcare settings for over 25 years. She encourages children to immerse themselves in the natural world and belivies this will foster a deeper understanding of the importance of taking care of our environment.
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![A young woman with light skin, blonde hair styled in a braid, smiling, wearing a tan beanie with a patch that reads 'outdoor' and a black jacket, outdoors in a park with cloudy sky.]()
Nina
Sooty Camp Lead
(3 - 5 years)Nina is passionate about fostering creativity, independence, and environmental stewardship. With experience as a Teaching Assistant and a degree in Education Studies.
Why Parents Choose Outdoor Owls?
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Healthier and Less Sick
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![A woman and a young child with curly hair are in a forest, smiling and playing among tree branches. The woman is wearing a dark jacket and a pink and gray backpack, while the child is dressed in a navy and orange jacket.]()
Passionate Teachers
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![A young child wearing a blue knit hat with a pom-pom, a dark raincoat, and a neon yellow backpack, looking thoughtfully in an outdoor wooded area.]()
A Focus on Life Readiness
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A Natural Environment
What Our Parents Say
“I could not recommend Outdoor Owls more! They completely blew us away with their amazing ethos, commitment and love for the children. Your child will thrive and grow and become a loving, resilient human being from their care and attention.”
— Gina
“Our son’s favourite time is the singing time on the minibus and to sit together with their friends, talk about the day, the weather, and sing songs together - it’s not something to be scared of. We love Outdoor Owls and feel so lucky our little boy (and hopefully his sister one day) gets to play, learn, and just “be” in the forest in a safe, loving, and caring environment. ”
— Hollie
Curriculum
Our holistic curriculum covers three learning roots. We focus on developing: Resilience, creativity, empathy and independence.
Creativity & Problem Solving
Resilience & Risk-awareness
Language & Knowledge
Body
Fitness & Strength
Balance & Coordination~
Gross & Fine Motor Skills
Mind
Soul
Social skills & Values
Self-regulation & Self-care
Nature & Culture
Learning Approach
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![A child wearing a yellow raincoat holds up a small stick or branch outdoors, with a background of leafless trees, green grass, and cloudy sky.]()
Child led
Your child takes the limelight and our teachers faciliate. This way it’s intrinsically motivating and provides the best method to test and learn, whilst they are fully engaged.
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Play based
Play is natural and allows your child to have full autonomy, to be in control and test their ideas whilst being in flow in what they are doing.
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![A young boy in a blue jacket with a neon yellow vest balancing on a wooden plank with his hands on the plank, outdoors in a forested area.]()
Risky play
We encourage risky play under safe supervision which promotes grit. These enhanced activities encourage learning by having a go and building long-term resilience.
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![A young boy lying on grass outdoors next to a large log, wearing a blue jacket and a neon yellow safety vest, with trees and a park setting in the background during daylight.]()
Real world
Children learn best through their senses: seeing, touching, hearing, and smelling. There is no better substitute for learning than by experiencing and doing.
Nutritious Food
We understand the importance of giving children well balanced, nutritious, and healthy meals. Our meals are cooked and prepared by TwoTeaspoons, who specialise in cooking children’s meals for each season.
We provide breakfast (cereal & fresh fruits), lunch, and tea daily. We also offer an afternoon snack too.
A Day at Outdoor Owls
Richmond Garden & Forest School Nursery
Owlie Camp (6 mo - ~2 years at Garden Nursery)
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Children arrive at the Church to spend their full day.
Children have breakfast (cereal, milk & fruits) in the garden camp ready for outdoor play at the Church. We then gather around for circle time to talk about the day ahead, and how we’re feeling, and for a song.
After settling in with our friends children begin to explore the garden camp with different provocations set up each day to stimulate their curiosity and enable rich play. This can be learning time in the mud kitchen, arts & crafts, books, and digging. This is child-led, free-play and where children can test the environment to learn.
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At 11:45am it’s time to gather around and eat our lovely freshly prepared meal at our al fresco dining area. Our chef prepares a range of chia pudding/ natural yoghurt with fruit puree.
At 12:30pm, children head into our cosy outdoor pram space for a comfortable nap where our educators help put them down to the tune of natural soundscapes.
After, children are offered a snack of fresh fruit and vegetables.
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Depending on the day’s flow we may spend more time in our outdoor garden camp or in our hall space. Occasionally we may go for an little adventure buggy walk into Richmond.
After some further learning and play in camp we then sit down ready for our tea.
Tawny Owls Camp (~2 years at Forest Nursery)
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Children arrive at the Church ready to board our minibus, ‘Classroom on Wheels’. On the bus we sing songs, read books, talk with our bus buddy and look out the window!
Children have breakfast (cereal, milk & fruits) in the forest, ready and fueled for exciting adventures ahead. We then gather around our campfire for circle time to talk about the day ahead, and how we’re feeling, and for a song.
After settling in with our friends children begin to explore the camp with different provocations set up each day to stimulate their curiosity and enable rich play. This can be learning time in the mud kitchen, obstacle course, arts & crafts, books, and digging. This is child-led, free-play and where children can test the environment to learn.
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At 11:45am it’s time to gather around and eat our lovely freshly prepared meal at our al fresco dining area. Our chef bakes delicious homemade cookies.
At 12:30pm, children head into our cosy yurt for a comfortable nap where our educators help put them down to the tune of natural soundscapes.
After, children are offered a snack of fresh fruit and vegetables.
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Now it’s time for an adventure walk to explore and role-play. We go to visit our favourite trees, dens we’ve made, open spaces, dips, and also see robins. This is learning on the go, through first-hand experiences and it’s meaningful.
We then say goodbye to the forest and board our classroom on wheels and we return to the Church in Richmond. Upon arrival we sit down ready for our tea and after we have a final read, game and stretch.
Sooty Owls Camp (3 - 5 years at Forest Nursery)
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Children arrive at the Church between 8 - 8:20 ready to board our minibus, ‘Classroom on Wheels’. On the bus we sing songs, read books, talk with our bus buddy and look out the window!
Children arrive for breakfast (cereal, milk & fruits) in the forest, ready and fueled for exciting adventures ahead. We then gather around our campfire for circle time to talk about the day ahead, and how we’re feeling, and for a song. After settling in with our friends children begin to explore the camp with different provocations set up each day to stimulate their curiosity and enable rich play. This can be learning time in the mud kitchen, obstacle course, arts & crafts, books, and digging.
After some time in camp, children are invited for an adventure walk to other favourite trees to swing and climb, places we are growing flowers and to see other friendly creepy crawlies, as well as soaking up the sights and smells of the seasons. This is learning on the go, through first-hand experiences and it’s meaningful.
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At 12pm it’s time to gather around and eat our lovely freshly prepared meal at our al fresco dining area. Our chef bakes delicious homemade cookies.
For any children who fancy a short rest they can lie down in our yurt.
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For children approaching school we run small group preschool sessions in our mimicked classroom environment to develop their skills in listening, raising their hands, answering questions, and building confidence to speak in front of others. Our teachers will guide them through topics on phonics, mark-making, science experiments, and practical mathematics.
In other parts of the afternoon our teachers are running games and projects, including also forest school activities e.g. sawing, drilling, whittling.
We then say goodbye to the forest and board our classroom on wheels and we return to the Church in Richmond. Upon arrival we sit down ready for our tea and after we have a final read, game and stretch.
Nursery Minibus to Forest (~2 years to 5 years)
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Morning Drop Off
Our children meet the team on the minibus (our classroom on wheels). We do circle time on the bus - singing, reading, and looking at the world around us!
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![Children sitting on the ground in a wooded outdoor setting, with vehicles parked behind them and a woman standing near the vehicles. They are surrounded by fallen leaves and trees with green foliage, indicating autumn.]()
Arrival & Departure at Cobham
This is where our children arrive and depart at Outdoor Owls Cobham.
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![A young girl with long blonde hair wearing an orange safety vest and striped shirt is smiling and waving her hand near a puppet dressed as a dog inside a bus.]()
Evening Pick Up
Families collect at Richmond & Putney Unitarian Church.
Drop Off & Pick Up at Richmond
Families drop off/ pick up at Richmond & Putney Unitarian Church. For children aged 6 months to ~2 years we have team based at the Church all day. For children aged ~2 years to 5 years, our team are aboard our minibus ‘classroom on wheels’ with the children for songs, reading and looking out at the world around us to head to the forest in Cobham. Ideal location for families around Richmond, Twickenham, Isleworth, St Margaret’s, Teddington, Chiswick, North Sheen, Kingston and more. For families nearer to Putney we also have a bus stop located at Putney Train Station, Putney Heath and at Putney St Margaret’s Church - see Outdoor Owls Putney here and also Fulham - see Outdoor Owls Fulham here.
Outdoor Forest School Nursery
Walton Firs Activity Centre
Convent Lane, Cobham, KT11 1HB
Our outdoor classroom is situated in a magical green space and woodland. Here we have our own natural space to explore and learn in along with yurts. We have breakfast, lunch and snacks here.
How to Sign Up?
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Complete Enquiry Form
Fill out our enquiry form here and we’ll be right back in touch
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![A group of children and adults sitting around a campfire circle in a wooded outdoor area during daytime, with a large beige teepee tent and a small shelter in the background, surrounded by trees with green leaves.]()
Showaround & Confirming Place
Come and see our forest camp and what we’re owl about. Meet the team and see where your child will be learning. Following this you’ll receive an email to book your child’s place.
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![A young boy smiling in a forest with trees, wearing a striped beanie, a rain jacket, and orange and gray safety vest.]()
Settling In Sessions & First Day
Attend our X2, 2 hour settling in sessions with your child in preparation for their first full day.
Richmond Forest School Nursery FAQs
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As the Danish saying goes, “there’s no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothes”. We’ve teamed up with Didriksons and all our Outdoor Owls are equipped with proper clothing for the outdoors, come rain or shine. When there are high winds and it is stormy we will adapt our plans and have hall space at the Church and indoor shelters we can use at the forest. For anything more severe at the forest, we will need to close for safety for children and team (this is in extreme weather circumstances).
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We understand that for most children when they leave us they will be entering a different environment after amazing times in the forest. In the 9 months before school your child we partake in preschool sessions in our separate classroom style environment with outdoor blackboard and wood log stools. Children are exposed to this mimicked classroom environment, in small group sessions learn to focus on topics for periods of time, use their listening ears and raise their hands. Children build great confidence to speak in front of a group. Before they head to school you will receive a report of where they are at with their early years learning goals.
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Children aged 6 months until around ~2 years will stay at the Church all day. Around the age of 2 years, this could be early 2 or closer towards 3 years depending on minibus spaces, they will then join other friends to begin taking the minibus to the forest.
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The children love our minibus, classroom on wheels. Our teachers site amongst our children and the journey takes around 40mins, where we do 10mins each of singing, reading and looking out at the world around us. All driver’s are DBS checked and professionally trained.
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We have cosy yurts for children to sleep in camp beds. Children nap after lunch time. For toilets we have a designated nappy changing unit, along with another potty/ toilet gazebo area for privacy (including handwashing station). We provide all nappies. Our chef brings our delicious meals which our team prep and children eat in camp at our al fresco eating area.
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For every new child starting as part of your enrolment fee you will receive a set of Didriksons, outerwear waterproofs with fleeced lining. These keep our children warm and dry all year round. Your little one will also receive their own hi-vis vest too.
Once you’re signed up we will share with you a kit list of how best to dress your child with others layers for the different seasons. -
Yes, we have weekday showaround slots available for you to come at visit us at the Church and also at the forest in Cobham. Complete our enquiry form here and we’ll share how you can do this.
Call us: +44(0)20 4537 8901
Forest School Rules
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“Stop, Orange Rope Return”
Our basecamp is marked with orange ropes so the children know where the boundary is of our forest. They learn to not go beyond them.
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![Circular badge with a safety vest icon in the center, surrounded by the text 'YES TO THE VEST!']()
“Yes to the Vest!”
All our children wear hi-vis vests so they are visible and all times. We give every child their own vest and our Educators wear them too!
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![A circular sign with an illustration of lips with their tongue sticking out. The sign has a message that reads "NO PICKING AND LICKING!" in white text around the border, and the lips and tongue are in shades of dark gray and orange.]()
“No Picking and Licking”
This is to remind the children that objects on the floor may be covered in dirt and germs which might make them poorly.
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![Illustration of two hands forming a heart shape around a smaller heart, with the text 'Sharing and Caring!' below.]()
“Sharing and Caring”
To help look after nature, our resources and most important each other, we use sharing and caring hands to interact in our play.
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![A circular safety sign instructing to stop, drop, and cross, featuring images of a dog sitting, a hand, a person with crossed arms, and a stick to help one cross safely.]()
“Stop, Drop and Cross!”
Should a doggy come into our forest, children learn to drop what they are holding and cross their arms which helps keep their interest elsewhere.
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